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6. Number of suicides fell clearly

In 2015, suicides were committed by 731 persons, which was nearly 60 fewer than in the year before. The number of suicides was at its highest in 1990, when there were over 1,500 suicides in Finland. Since then, suicide mortality has decreased. Suicide mortality has decreased by 40 per cent in the past fifteen years.

Men's suicide mortality is much higher than women's. In 2015, suicide mortality or the number of suicides a year per 100,000 population was 13.3, being 20.7 for men and 6.2 for women. Three out of four of the persons who committed a suicide were men.

Suicides are a central cause of death for young people. One-third of young people aged under 25 that died had committed suicides. The share of suicides in all causes of death is high for young people because other mortality among young people is low. The share of persons aged under 25 among all those having committed a suicide was, however, low: only one in ten suicide victims were aged under 25.

The relative number of suicides has decreased in all age groups over the past 15 years. Young people's suicide mortality in Finland has been high by European comparison. According to Eurostat's statistics for 2013, suicide mortality among young people was higher than in Finland only in Lithuania. By contrast, for persons aged 65 and over, suicide mortality in Finland did not differ from the EU average. Of those who committed suicides, one in five were aged over 65.

Figure 10. Suicides mortality 1970 to 2015

Source: Causes of death, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Airi Pajunen 029 551 3605, Jari Hellanto 029 551 3291, kuolemansyyt@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 30.12.2016